


can you tell me a story, about heroes and their glory?

by crimson_hue



Series: minecraft men are taking over my life [6]
Category: Dream SMP - Fandom, Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Adoption, Angst, Author is a Toby Smith | Tubbo Apologist, Crack Treated Seriously, Found Family, Gen, Goat Hybrid Toby Smith | Tubbo, No beta we die like lmanburg, Toby Smith | Tubbo Deserves Better, Toby Smith | Tubbo Needs a Hug, Written before The Dream Showdown, it started off as agnst and then snowballed, self projection? in this story? just a smudge.
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-29
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-15 03:53:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29057751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crimson_hue/pseuds/crimson_hue
Summary: When a man arrives at Phil's door.He opens it, and then faces the realization he was never the hero his kids claimed him to be.
Relationships: NONE., i will strangle shippers of minors with my own hands
Series: minecraft men are taking over my life [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2080929
Comments: 49
Kudos: 257





	1. careful where you tread, because these memories are what you dread.

**Author's Note:**

> can you tell me a story, about heroes and their glory?  
> but leave out the end, it'll make me sad again.  
> because heroes are liars, and sometimes i want the villain to win,  
> does that make me evil, or am i just doomed to never swim?  
> toss my remains to the winds,  
> toss my hopes to the sea,  
> because this is not who i want to be.
> 
> this started of seriously, and then i provided this.

The Captain meets Tubbo on a Friday afternoon. He sees a boy so full of balance, who is such a contrast to what he has heard of Phil's children, all chaos and no order, he wonders if he saw wrong.

Yet, the boy stands and his heart melts the moment he walks over and starts talking.

He gets letters. So many, at least one a week. He's so excited when Tubbo strikes out on his own.

And then L'Manburg is started.

Phil and Jordan can and will never see eye to eye. He has utmost respect for the other man, raising four children on his own must be hard.

Yet at what point does accidental negligence become abuse? He sees adults blame a child for the shortcomings of a country, and they go as far as to call his behavior the same as his abuser.

Jordan reads letter after letter, and let's himself grieve for the innocence of a boy he cares for so, so deeply.

So, he packs up. He says goodbye to the peaceful life he lived, and heads for an SMP far away.

And when he gets there, when he arrives too late, he is greeted with the shocked look of brown eyes and brown hair, and a smile that could bring him peace for years.

He opens his arms and like clockwork the duckling runs into them. Jordan feels a wet spot on his shoulder and his resolve grows as he looks to a country turned to ash.

Jordan cannot allow this child to slip through his fingers again. He's not sure if he can ever so goodbye to a sweet smile and a heart so desperate for love.

So, he researches. There's a king named Eret, and a deal is signed.

He'll defend Eret if things go astray, even if Dream is to become his enemy. Jordan is fine with this deal, the green man is now on his personal hit list.

In return for his protection, Eret gives him supplies and informs him of not only where Philza Minecraft lives, but how to officially change custody of Tubbo over to him.

The two shake on it, and Jordan storms off to a snowy biome where monsters live.

He meets Ranboo along the way. The boy seems nervous, explaining that he doesn't want to anger Technoblade.

It's so, so dearly messed up that when he looks at Ranboo he sees another boy reflected in those naive eyes.

Jordan tells him that he's always welcome in Snow Chester. The enderman hybrid looks down at his fingers. The teenager asks if that would be okay with Tubbo, and god damn if that's not the first time someone has ever asked if Tubbo was okay with something.

They never asked if Tubbo was okay with being executed by his brother. They never asked if Tubbo was okay with becoming the leader of a doomed country.

Jordan smiles.  
He points towards the location of Snowchester, and tells the boy to ask Tubbo himself.

The enderman is able to read between the lines, and disappears in particles.

Jordan's face turns harder as he looks towards a homely cottage and feels rage in his bones. It settles over him like a coat, a familiar presence.

He knocks at the door.

Philza has a routine. He wakes up with the break of dawn, and greets his son. The man watches as a teenager runs around, and the house is quiet when Techno leaves to loom around and gather.

He takes pleasure in the quiet, nowadays. But there's a shadow over it, a grief that he ignores.

/Like you ignored your sons?/

The voices are a dull murmur in his head, too.

Still, he tries to not think about them.

Suddenly, as he pours his tea, he hears a knock at his door. He walks over, and opens it.

Another legend, as old as he, stands there.

"Hello, Phil." The man says. It is not a friendly voice, bordering hateful yet still amicable.

The blonde man isn't sure what to do. "Hello, Sparklez." He responds, instead.

They wait. A standoff. Ultimately, Phil let's Jordan in after seeing the papers in his hand and the snow drifting into the yard.

He pours tea while the other man sits down.

Once they're both sitting down, Phil gestures for the man to state his business.

Taking a deep breath, Jordan puts the papers in front of Phil. "I'm here because I want custody over Tubbo."

It's not often he forgets things.

/you forgot your own sons./

He forgot that he was legally Tubbo's parent. Phil almost laughs at the fact that he could've grounded Tubbo for putting him under house arrest a long time ago.

It's a hollow joke.

"And why should I do that?" He says.

Jordan laughs. Dark eyes full of thinly veiled anger meet him. "Can you really call yourself his father, Phil?"

Phil is quiet at that.

Because the man isn't wrong. Technoblade has always been Phil's focus, because of his voices like Phil.

He remembers the anger in Wilbur's eyes the day he left the house. Tommy and Tubbo followed soon after.

("Do you not love us? Are we not enough?"

Phil remembers stepping over broken glass. "Wilbur, you're being insane,"

"Just say it, just admit it, damnit!" More glass breaking. Two boys peek over from behind the wall, twin looks of feat on their faces.

But it's not Phil who tells them to go to bed. Wilbur takes a deep breath, and moves past the man to take the two to bed.

Phil stares at broken glass, at his hands that have red on them from throwing glass.

The voices are loud, and so he leaves.

He wonders if Wilbur left because he didn't ever stay.)

"I'll..." Phil takes a deep breath as he looks through the papers. They're all organized, and filled out thoroughly.

There's a stack of pages next to it. Letters, all addressed to Jordan.

He looks back to the man. "I'll let you know my answer. Let me just...look through these." Phil says.

Jordan looks at him, and something different is in his eyes.

Phil recognizes pity. It's the same look Tubbo gives him nowadays.

Pity with no love to share.

He almost sobs at the familiarity.

Techno returns home to see the blonde man staring blankly at letters. They exchange polite greetings, and Techno puts his things away.

Phil carried conversations, not Techno. So after a long bout of silence, the pig hybrid finally speaks up.

"Is there something bothering you?"

Phil looks at him, his eyes full of emotions that Techno just can't understand.

Grief, Chat supplies.

Phil looks back to what Techno can tell are letters, all addressed to a man named Jordan.

"Techno, am I a bad father?"

Techno can't answer that question nicely. Phil is a good teacher, he can give the man that, but father wise?

He never saw Philza as a fatherly figure, to put it that way.

The blonde takes his silence as an answer. "Jordan, or Captain Sparklez, came over today." Techno nods, but it's useless. Phil isn't looking at him.

"He wants to adopt Tubbo."

"That's a good thing, right?" Techno tries.

Phil looks down at the letters. There's some kind of feeling that Techno wishes he was human enough to understand, to view.

He puts the letters down. "We burned his country down. He put me in house arrest, he exiled his own brother-"

Phil doesn't look mad. "But if I had been better, would he have done it? This man, who I haven't even ever had a full conversation with before this day, has more of a connection to my own son than I have."

The house is quiet.  
For what is there to say?

There's this kid on the SMP.  
Sam might not get around a lot, he's usually working on what Dream and him work on together, but there's this kid on the SMP.

There's this kid on the SMP, and he smiles at him so excitedly when they drain the fucking ocean itself, and he wonders how anyone could ever want to take that away from him.

He wonders how people don't fall to their knees in wonder at the sheer hard work he puts in.

Sam looks at this child who mines along with him, and he wonders if this is what it's like to be a father.

Isn't that a funny thought? Him, a father?

But when he stares at that sad look on the kid's face, at the way his kid lights up when Sam explains this stupid redstone idea, he thinks he wants this.

He remembers when Tubbo knocked on his door desperately one night. A shattered compass in hand and a begging voice to fix it.

Sam couldn't, and he remembers holding onto the boy. He remembers the anger in him in a world that forces children to grow up, anger in this SMP and it's cruel adults who play hero and villain based upon their whims.

It's cruelty, not mercy to allow these children to take refuge here.

Sam overhears something about adopting Tubbo, and his brain clicks.

He could, in all honesty, try and adopt Tubbo. Phil and him have talked before, no matter how stilted. Plus, his house is very, very safe no matter how many explosions happen every now and then.

Sam runs into Bad, and well, Bad is the prime example of a trustworthy person to help him get adoption.

He explains his plan, and Bad agrees.

Fuck yeah! Now there's the matter of convincing Phil.

It's a nice day. Phil pours himself a cup of tea, and drinks. He knows he has to look at the papers sooner or later, but he's content to just enjoy the atmosphere.

Then he sees someone stumbling their way over.

Phil's peace is going to shatter, isn't it?

The tall man had to bend awkwardly at the table. Phil's neck is starting to hurt.

The creeper hybrid isn't staying still, and at this point the old man just wants him to get on with it.

"So, uh, you're like- Tubbo's dad right, and in light of everything that's happened," Sam gestures vaguely about the fact that Phil literally exploded Tubbo's country, and Phil is getting very, deeply guilty and worried on where this conversation is going.

Sam hands him papers. It's more adoption papers.

What the bloody hell. "So, what if I got custody! Now, now I know this is pretty sudden, I mean, we've haven't even talked much, but I live in the Badlands, and we haven't really gotten into a lot of conflict, and Badboyhalo can vouch for me," Phil pure look of disbelief seems to be shutting Sam down.

Sam rubs at his neck, and hands him a book. "If you need proof that Tubbo and I are close, here's some notes we take together? If that helps?"

Phil's going to have a fucking stroke. The tall man leaves after Phil reassures him that he'll think about it, and then he goes back to sitting down.

He lets out a laugh that verges on mental breakdown.

Techno comes home to see his father staring blankly at two piles of papers. He looks over at them.

They're both adoption papers.

"There's...more offers?" He says aloud.

"Sparklez and Sam." Phil says, staring at them.

The two sit in silence. What?? The fuck??

Quackity stands up. So far, two people have been talking about adopting Tubbo, and as far he's concerned, that's bullshit.

By all rights, he's the one who's been taking care of him, damnit! He was practically the kid's stepmom when Schaltt tried for a cutesy Whitehouse family.

So, this is bullshit! He should get custody.

He puts on a coat and storms off with his two fiances in the direction of Phil's house. Sapnap needs to stop fucking laughing, and Karlos seems to think that adopting Tubbo implies getting a crib.

Two very different reactions, but Quackity will take it.

Phil stares at the door. Surely, surely not, right?

He gets up hesitantly to pour his tea. He watches as the tea sweeps.

After a long period, he finally stops stirring and takes one long sip. Peace. At last.

There's a knock at the door.

"God. Fucking. Damnit." Phil says, under his breath in case it's someone with actually important things to say. He opens the door, and Quackity is standing with his partners and Phil is this close to slamming the door when Quackity shouts at him.

"Seriously? Tubbo is up for adoption and you didn't fucking tell me! This is some fucked up shit, Philza Minecraft."

Death. Please just kill him at this point.

It's practically fucking routine how Quackity hands him the papers, all angrily filled out and then a stack of photographs full of a smiling boy.

The first one has paint on Tubbo as they decorate a plaza. It's titled, 'festival pog.'

This is karma's retribution, isn't it? This is the gods way of smacking Phil repeatedly with a gun because he fucked up so badly with his sons.

He pushes the trio out, and stares at the three piles of papers.

Techno returns home, and stares at the three piles. What the fuck. What the fucking fuck.

"No." He says, when Phil makes eye contact with him.

"Yes. Another offer." The man says.

"Tommy?" He tries. It has to be for Tommy, this is ridiculous.

Phil puts his head in his hands.  
It's not for Tommy. What the fuck.  
"Wilbur." Techno knows he's desperate.

"No. We both know who it's for." Techno thinks that this feeling is despair because this makes no fucking sense.

"That's. That makes three offers, Phil."

The man slams his face on the table. "This is god punishing me for my sins." He moaned, sounding miserable.

Techno agrees. How do so many people know where he lives?

Sykkuno has a smile on his face that Corpse isn't very happy with, if he's honest. He continues fiddling with the wires.

"So I heard that the kid 5cup hangs out with is up for adoption," the man says, and Corpse wishes he could die.

"Yeah. He is."

The man glances at his partner's stupid smile.

"No." He says, and Sykkuno shouts his protests.

Despite his vement refusals, he stands in front of a door. 5cup had been ecstatic, and well, Sykkuno wasn’t wrong when he said that Corpse and the kid had a connection. The boy reminded him of a past life.

He knocks on the door.

A blonde man opens it, stares at him, and slams the door.

Corpse just leaves the papers there and hurries away from Tubbo’s weird, hermit dad.

Techno comes home to find papers left at the door. He picks them up, and then holds back tears. God damnit. 

He opens the door to see his father downing a bottle of hard liquor. “There’s papers for you.” The piglin says.

Phil doesn’t even look at him. “I know. I know I fucked up with you kids. Tommy hates me, Wilbur is dead, and well.” Phil looks at him and gestures vaguely.

If he wasn’t on the brink of hysterics, he’d be offended. “But how the hell did I fuck up so, so badly, that four different people want to adopt one kid?”

Techno waits for Phil to put down the bottle before finishing it off himself.

Phil wakes up, and stares at the door. No one else. He hears a knock.  
He stomps to the door, a curled up magazine in his hand as he stomps to the door, ready to beat the shit out of someone. He is tired, and wants people to stop asking to adopt his kid who was never put up for adoption in the first place!

The door is thrown open, and instead of finding another person asking to adopt, he finds Tubbo.

His anger evaporates. Familiar guilt takes its place.

He looks rough. There’s fresh bruises and the way he cowers isn’t a good sign. Phil is ashamed to say that in the chaos, he forgot about his sons fighting Dream. And that’s the sum of his problems, isn’t it? He gets sidetracked with his failures and it replaces his focus from his sons.

Tubbo stands there, on the patio, and he has never looked so small.

The shortest in the family yet far from the least mature.

“I- um. There’s. Uhm. Hi.” Tubbo says, his voice ever so quiet and hoarse. Phil stares, and Tubbo hunches in ever so slightly,

He fiddles with his hands. “Can I come in?”

Phil lets his middle child in, and prepares tea. His son is dressed differently, in warmer clothes and has bandages visible on him. There’s no armour, no weapons. He has nothing on him to defend himself.

“Where is Tommy?” Phil asks, because the two never leave each other. Tubbo rubs at his arms. “He didn’t want to come.” The boy answers.

It hurts. But Phil puts on a strong face and doesn’t say anything. He waits for Tubbo to speak.

“Phil- I,” Tubbo searches for words and like when he was young, Phil grabs his hands and rubs circles with his thumb.

There’s a bond between them that isn’t severed yet. He doesn’t know why, but Tubbo just lets him rub the circles.

It takes a few minutes of silence for the boy to continue again. “When Tommy and I were fighting- there was a moment when I was willing to die, Phil. I’m tired of just...waiting for it. Waiting for the day I get unlucky and…” He trails off.

“How did you it? How do you get used to- get used to the fact that even when you die, you won’t be remembered?” Phil doesn’t say anything, and Tubbo gives a sad, morose laugh. “You, Tommy, Wilbur…..Technoblade, you’ll all be remembered. But I’m not big, or strong, or important,” Hearing those words hurt.

“I’m just Tubbo. There’s no coming back for me, no great rebrith. I don’t have a server anchor like you and the rest of them, Phil. When my parents left me in that box,”

There’s a bout of silence. “They left me to die. So why can’t I? Why do I wake up in the morning when there’s just-”

Tubbo takes a breath. “I’m rambling but I just. I wanted to ask if you ever-” Tubbo stops himself. But Phil already knows where this is going.

He holds Tubbo’s hand tighter. The boy finally looks at their connected hands, seeming surprised. “Not once.” Phil says. “Not once did I regret taking you with me that day.”

There’s tears rolling down Tubbo’s face. “But I- I hurt you and Technoblade, and I couldn’t protect Tommy, and Wilbur-”

“Not once, Tubbo. Not once.” 

Phil holds his boy. The topic changes, and they talk about everything and nothing. THere’s no easy laughter, just talking. Phil asks about the town, dubbed Snowchester. He asks about Tubbo’s piano, about his wounds. He shifts the conversation ever so slightly.

Tubbo tells him of Jordan, and how he helps with the town. Lives there, even. That he’s tending to Tommy’s wounds. Then about Sam, and their redstone contraptions. How Quackity cheered when Tubbo visited him after defeating Dream, and the laughter they shared. About two men who have been talking to him, and inviting him to their adventures.

But Phil looks at the papers in the corner the whole time.

“If-” Phil says. Tubbo looks up from where he was stirring his tea. “If someone wanted to adopt you, would you want them to take custody? From. From me?” The boy’s eyes widen, and gets a confused look on his face. 

“Did someone offer?” Tubbo asks, drinking his tea.

Phil laughs, and side-eyes the stack of papers. “A few. Yeah.”

The boy folds his hands, and thinks about it.  
“I don’t want to offend but I don’t think we could ever have the relationship that you have with Technoblade and Toms, if I’m honest.” It hurts for it to be said, but it’s not like Tubbo is wrong. Phil nods.

“There’s… a few options. Do you want to look them over?” Tubbo simply shakes his head.

There’s a silence that stretches, but it’s not uncomfortable. “Tommy would expect me back by now.” Tubbo says.

It’s funny, because around this time Techno returns as well. Phil nods, and watches as the kid leaves, feeling his heart shatter. 

The piglin opens his door and expects there to be more papers. Instead, he finds his dad looking at him with a smile. “Tubbo visited.”

He sits down. They drink tea, and Phil asks Techno for his opinion, of who is worthy do get custody of the sweet boy the two men had ruined to the core. He opens his mouth, and chat screams.


	2. but not always must you fear, because we will be right here

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my lovely beta Lost Guard for the help on this one!

Chat screams, and Techno genuinely wonders if the world is ending from their screams.

_Jordan said "100% my kid" when referring to Tubbo which to me means Jordad is the only correct option, If the man doesn't get custody he will 100% blow up people for it, Jordan may pretend to be all lawful and stuff but he's lowkey chaos gremlin_

_I kinda want Quackity to get custody, because then Tubbo gets 3 dads, and that dynamic is *chef’s kiss* plus the bonding that they have over shared experiences with Schlatt??? They have such an unexplored dynamic, and quackity going from pseudo-stepmom/dad to actual parent is amazing_

_Jordad for Tubbo, Awsamdad for Tommy and Quackity isn't quite dad material yet, he's 19! But he would make for a great wine aunt, and that's my hot take._

_Jordan is the best dad in the group. While Sam would be a great choice I see him more of Tommy's dad than Tubbo's. The Captain hands down would be a pretty swick dad for Tubbo._

_This is so funny especially philza after every visit lol. I love all the choices but I'm gonna pick Captain Sparklez. He dad and according to the man himself, it's canonical. Sam is more big brother energy and so is quackity. And then corpse is just like big brother who you don't see a lot but still has a good relationship with you._

_first of all if i could physically marry this fic i would i've read it like eight times  
second of all... awesamdad....................._

_one. please. please SOMEONE just help the child PLEASE  
second. awesamdad 🥰_

_I LITERALLY LOVE THIS SO MUCH WHTA. also awesamdad pog_

_Jordan 100% from the four options. However, there is a hidden fifth option of Phil begging to fix his and Tubbo’s relationship, especially with that “chat screams” line at the end._

_CORPSE AOFJDJSJSBSJ_

_Is it bad that i just want all of them to have split custody like i really want them all to adopt him so everyone’s happy!!!_

_At this point Philza needs to just put a box labeled "ADOPTION OFFERS" on his porch_

_Jordan is really the only suitable option for Tubbo. The rest of them are not stable enough, I feel like._

_With Jordan Tubbo would get the attention and help and protection he needs. With Jordan Tubbo would get someone who's lawful and just at his side, but also chaotic enough to be canonically banned from the moon by Lady Ianite. GIVE JORDAN HIS DUCKLING!!!! It's what they both deserve!!!!_

_Everyone is saying the Captain, but what about Quackity who can supply not ONE, not TWO, but THREE dads? I really hope there’ll be an alternate chapter when we would find out what might have happened with the others, but Quackity is the one I’ll opt for.  
3 DADS FOR THE PRICE OF 1_

_Can I nominate Jordan officially takes him as the eldest but the others claim that they deserve it too so they all are his secondary parents?_

_Everyone saying trio parents of Quackity and them but did you forget about Corpse Sykuno and 5cup?_

_I think Quackity deserves a little credit for being around the schlatt administration and tubbo made him his vice but in my opinion I think he should get custody plus three dads pog_

_Listen,,  
dadSparklez whit uncle Sam, wine aunt Quackity and big brother Corpse_

_Look,, I love quackity, but you can't tell me that he would remember to feed and water a whole CHILD when he can't even remember his exams. My vote is for The Captain._

Techno holds his head in his hands. “Phil holy shit-” He manages to get out once chat calms down. 

Phil looks alarmed, holding onto Techno’s hand and rubbing circles with his thumb. “Chat uh- bruh, they say Jordan?” The piglin finally whispers, his head pounding with the influx of commentary. There was, very much so, a lot of Jordad and Captains said in that fiery, hot mess.

The older man continues rubbing circles, still looking concerned. “Are you okay?” The british man asks, and Techno takes a sip of his tea. “Yeah. It’s not the worse I’ve dealt with.”

Instead of comforting, Phil finches ever so slightly. The blond man nods, and looks at the papers.

“I’ll get to signing them, then.” He says, and finds a pen. Techno continues to drink his tea, still very frazzled at the overwhelming vote for Sparklez. Also, about how apparently said man is banned from the fuCKING MOON?

Techno briefly wonders if, just maybe, they should just keep Tubbo. It would be pretty funny, in all honesty.  
No, they can’t just keep the kid. He’s not a dog. But Ranboo doesn’t seem to mind the dog shack, so really, maybe teenage boys just need dog shacks to be happy.

(In Snowchester, both Ranboo and Tubbo feel a chill run up their spines. Their momentary distraction leads to Tommy absolutely taking them out with snowballs.)

Phil gathers up his courage, and walks to Snowchester. He has the papers, all he has to do is give them to Jordan. He is hesitant, of course, to bring Techno with him. However, the piglin insists on meeting the Captain. 

So they both go, trekking through the snow.

As the odd pair gets closer, the sound of laughter rings crystal clear. It’s memorable laughter, two voices that they can recall echoing down the hallways of a home they once all shared. Another voice is one they’ve only started to get more acquainted with.

They peer out of the trees and see three teenagers running around, laughing despite the cold snow. 

Phil enter Snowchester with three sons and papers.

Carefully, and quietly, they scoot around the scene. They end up at Jordan’s door, and Phil knocks after waiting for a moment. The man opens the door, and simply lets them in. 

Techno settles in near the window, watching as the boys run around and play. 

The other two men settle down at a table, and Phil hands over the papers. “I have only one request, Jordan.” The blonde says.

“What is it?”

Phil looks to the window, where Tubbo gets tackled by Tommy and the two fall down laughing. “Let me see him, every now and then?”

Jordan looks to the other man, and in eyes that are usually unreadable he finds a care that was birthed from soft light and care and a family that was torn apart, yet holds by thin thread of fate.

He stares, and he gives a small smile. “I don’t think I could stop you even if I wanted too.”

When Phil exits, he gets hit with a snowball. Techno gets hit as well. “Hello Philza Minecraft!” Tubbo calls, while holding back a positively feral Tommy, who is shouting insult after insult. Ranboo waves too, looking concerned.

Techno takes this time of greetings to make a much larger snowball, launches it at Tubbo and Tommy, before picking Phil up and running out of Snowchester.

“Technoblade! You bitch! You motherfucker, get back here!” Phil laughs as Tommy chases after them, Tubbo bent down at the waist as he laughs hard enough to break a rib. Ranboo is patting the boy’s back, and the older man holds in tears. 

Phil leaves Snowchester with two sons and the smile of a boy he can never forget heavy on his heart.

Tubbo has a father, named Jordan. 

Everyday when he wakes up, his dad will force him to eat a full breakfast before letting him loose. If he doesn’t come back in time for lunch, he will suddenly find himself being accosted with Jordan forcing him to sit down for a moment and eat more food. It is more food than Tubbo is used to. 

He hears stories, about heroes and their glory, when the moon has replaced the sun. When the sounds of imaginary bombs and fireworks become too loud, Jordan will sit by him and tell him stories of his lady, about his hijinks and adventures.

However, this is not the extent of his family.

He has another father, in the form of a creeper hybrid that smells like redstone and gunpowder when he tightly squeezes him and Tommy. Sam and him build the strangest of structures and laugh when smoke covers their faces. 

He never hears any unhappy endings, when Sam regales his tales. When he can’t stand the feeling of his scars on his skin, the other man will sit down with him and show him his own scars. He never hears the stories, however. Sam explains that all it’d do is make him sad again.

The other three are also fathers, each in a different way. 

Quackity makes him laugh until he cries, calls him all these strange Spanish terms and teaches him a language that sounds so strange and fast on his own tongue. Karl will tell him stories from a long time ago, where he can’t help but be entranced even when the man stumbles over his words and goes on tangents about other things. Sapnap and him train, but it’s not the training he remembers from childhood, full of life or death scenarios. It’s a training that ends with him feeling happy, while they laugh and trade looks of excitement and pride.

And when Schlatt’s words echo in Tubbo’s head, Quackity will sit with him and explains that things that don't end up how you expect them to end. He tells him that sometimes heroes are the liars, and in rare instances, the villains seem not so bad compared to them.

The final three are even stranger. 5cup invites him to a server full of new and exciting mods, and Syykuno and Corpse take him on their space adventures, where he sees the stars are all these exciting things. They make him feel happier, with a new love for investigation born within him. They praise him often, even when 5cup laughs himself into a wheezing fit when Tubbo explodes something in his face, it’s not cruel. 

When Tubbo feels like a monster, Corpse will sit with him and explain to him that sometimes, you feel like you're drowning but at the end of the day, you’ll resurface.

But this isn’t all. 

He has three brothers. One named Tommy, and Ranboo, and Technoblade. He has a father who tries, tries his hardest to be better, to do better every single day. And when times get tough, when he stares at the world and he feels the same rage that Wilbur had, he will hold onto Phil and listen to tales of adventures. He will stay there until he finally feels like himself again.

Tubbo is very, very much loved. He never expected to be loved, not since all the wars, by anyone other than Tommy.

But at the end of day, and even when there is no light in sight, he can say he is loved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now that we're at the end, thanks for reading! I'm pretty happy with how this turned out, in all honesty!

**Author's Note:**

> so! this is a reader interactive story, and you get to decide who wins. leave a comment and give your opinion!


End file.
